


My Dearest Heart (How you Outshine the Fireworks)

by Morningstar96



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: An alternate meeting in which they find each other at the New Year's fireworks, F/F, Fireworks, First Kiss, It's nowhere near New Year's Eve but this sweet idea wouldn't leave my head, Kara is so bashful, Kara needs a hug, Lena's a hermit and wants friends, They all need hugs, lena needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 07:40:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20503292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morningstar96/pseuds/Morningstar96
Summary: ‘Lena Luthor,’ said Supergirl, lips curling up in a small smile. The blue in her eyes shone with an alien intensity.‘You know me?’ Lena shook herself. ‘Of course you would. I suppose you’ve seen the trial videos.’An alternate meeting where Lena finds Supergirl at National City's New Year's Eve fireworks.





	My Dearest Heart (How you Outshine the Fireworks)

Lena Luthor couldn’t believe that her first month in National City had gone by so fast. She’d been lying as low as possible, avoiding all publicity and letting the national press wonder where the last free and living Luthor had gone to. After testifying against Lex in his trials- a long and exhausting and traumatising period in her life that she desperately wanted to forget about- she’d moved from Metropolis to National City in order to slowly establish a new Lex Corp (she planned to rename it simply L-Corp) headquarters and hopefully completely rebrand the company as a force for good. But for now, she was taking the time to recuperate and focus on her plans for L-Corp.

And now New Year’s Eve had arrived, and she was still in her apartment working late into the night. Lena stirred from her notes, stretching out and thinking vaguely about getting herself a coffee because she didn’t feel like sleeping just yet. She crinkled her nose as she caught sight of the massive crowds and flocks of cars massing in the streets just below. Lena watched them for a while, quite forgetting about her coffee, and her thoughts- now becoming strange and sluggish after countless hours of working- began to drift.

She was becoming lonely. That was nothing new to her at all; the Luthor household had always been a cold and lonely one, and Lilian had actively swayed Lena away from anyone she didn’t see as suitable- in other words, anyone who wasn’t rich or associated with the family in some way. Even in the freedom university offered, she’d spent most of her time devoutly studying; as much as she wanted to know her classmates more, her lack of adequate socialisation had left her somewhat bereft in any genuine friend-making skills. She could charm a potential suitor, make deals with important clients, speak politely and with proper etiquette- but simply letting go and having fun with someone her own age was another battle entirely. She was never quite sure what to do with herself, what was appropriate and what was not, so she’d been spending most of her time working alone. But she was getting tired of cooping herself up in her apartment all day, and no matter how busy she kept herself, the loneliness kept gnawing at her heart and gut. It demanded that she go out and seek human contact among the crowds down below, and that was how Lena ended up walking down the street and toward National City’s main park.

Half an hour later, Lena was striding through the endless masses of people and trying to find a spot to set her picnic blanket. National City’s river cut through the park, and most people were hovering at the riverbank itself, contending with the flock of local swans for space to sit. Finally, Lena settled next to an ash tree at the riverbank, taking in the smell of the river and the various lights reflecting off the inky black water. She held a brief staring contest with an irate swan before it waddled off, and listened to the local band playing on the stage nearby; everyone seemed excited and half the population was decked in glow-in-the-dark paraphernalia.

Lena just sat on her picnic blanket and picking at her fruit salad, unsure of what to do now. She looked up at the stars, trying to find a constellation she recognised, but the light of the city and the full moon made the stars look faded tonight. She checked her phone; half an hour to midnight. What was she supposed to do until the fireworks?

She looked around. Everyone was in their own little friend and family groups, singing and talking loudly, and Lena didn’t want to break into their bubbles- nor did she really know how. This wasn’t like the galas she’d been trained to hold and perform for. This was a giant crowd of strangers from all walks of life. Lena had no idea how any given person could react to her. For all she knew, someone might recognise her and scream out her name and then everyone would be driving her out of the city in one big angry mob-

She was so wrapped up in her fears that she only just caught the flash of red and blue, heard the heavy rippling of a cape, the whoops of people recognising a beloved celebrity, and then the soft thud of someone landing beside her.

Lena stared for a moment, heart stuttering. ‘Supergirl,’ she breathed.

Supergirl was somehow _bigger _than she’d expected. Grainy videos and even professional photo shoots couldn’t do justice to the feeling of actually being in her presence, of realising just how broad and muscular those shoulders were, of how her blonde hair seemed to catch any available light that would make it shine like fine gold wire. She truly was unearthly, Lena realised.

‘Lena Luthor,’ said Supergirl, lips curling up in a small smile. The blue in her eyes shone with an alien intensity.

‘You know me?’ Lena shook herself. ‘Of course you would. I suppose you’ve seen the trial videos.’

Supergirl just nodded and sat herself down on the picnic blanket, tucking her cape to one side. ‘I remember being so in awe of how calm you were as you testified against Lex. Watching you in the courtroom was quite something, and when I first heard your heartbeat in National City, I first wondered if you’d come to meet me.’

Lena just nodded slowly, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. She was used to the empty flattery of boardrooms and rich old men, but Supergirl’s compliment held a genuine charm. ‘You recognised my heartbeat?’ was what she ended up saying.

Supergirl shrugged- an endearingly human gesture, Lena guessed, something she probably picked up from a foster family that had to have taken her in. ‘I can focus on people’s heartbeats if I want to. Usually I focus on my sister’s if I need to stay calm. But during the trial, I ended up focusing on yours.’

Lena simply sat in silence for a bit, musing. Lex had feared and coveted the Supers’ powers, feared that the Supers were too god-like, too powerful and too alien to be allowed to live. Learning that Supergirl could hear individual heartbeats with very little effort should have sparked concern at the very least, but Lena couldn’t bring herself to feel even a little unnerved.

‘I wasn’t actively avoiding you,’ Lena blurted, as if that was something important Supergirl should know. ‘I just’-

‘Needed to get away from it all?’ Supergirl concluded.

‘Yes, exactly. And I didn’t want to give the impression that I’m as dangerously obsessive about the Supers as my brother is, so I’ve just been lying low here, working out my future.’

Supergirl gave a wan smile. ‘It sounds lonely.’

‘It is. Thought I’d finally come out of my hermitude for tonight,’ Lena chuckled.

People were starting to wander around them and whisper excitedly; many were holding out pieces of paper and pens, clearly wanting autographs.

‘I guess loneliness isn’t such an issue for you?’ Lena added, amused.

‘Not usually,’ Supergirl admitted. She spent the next five minutes signing autographs for those closest to her before a security guard with short red hair and a snap in her voice came by and started shooing them all off, telling them that Supergirl needed some privacy.

‘My sister,’ Supergirl said quietly, ‘Alex. She’s pretty protective of me.’

_Must be nice to have a devoted sibling, _Lena thought.

‘Lex used to be good to me,’ she said instead. ‘When I was adopted, he’d read me bedtime stories and let me help with his experiments. I adored him, like any sister adores her older brother.’ She didn’t know why she was telling this to Supergirl of all people, but she didn’t fear being overheard; her voice was quiet because she knew that only Supergirl would hear it above all the noise and excitement.

‘Fear and anger can twist even the best souls,’ Supergirl said sadly.

‘I saw what happened with those other Kryptonians that came here,’ Lena ventured. ‘They seemed hell-bent on controlling us all.’

Supergirl nodded, sadness hanging off her like a dark mist. ‘They feared that we’re destroying earth the same way we destroyed Krypton. They were right, of course, but... you can’t exactly go around mind-controlling an entire race. There’s always another way.’

‘You knew them, didn’t you?’

‘The leader was my aunt,’ Supergirl said softly.

A quiet moment stretched between, a moment pregnant with mutual losses and pain and trauma. Lena never thought she’d feel a kinship with a Super, but almost of its own volition, her hand slid into Supergirl’s. Her heart jumped to her throat- _who does this??- _but then Supergirl squeezed her hand back gently and didn’t move away.

They didn’t speak for a good while, just soaked in each other’s presence and watched the swans glide over the river. The band’s lead singer announced that it was five minutes to midnight.

‘I suppose you have a date to go and kiss,’ Lena said, extricating her hand so that Supergirl could go to one of the many suitors she undoubtedly had lining for her.

‘No,’ Supergirl said, chuckling. ‘My last attempt at a relationship didn’t really go anywhere. Though I imagine someone as beautiful as you has someone waiting for them.’

Lena shook her head. ‘Reclusive hermit, remember?’

‘We could kiss?’ Supergirl blurted, the most adorable blush immediately flushing down her face. She ducked her head and rubbed her temple nervously. ‘Sorry, I don’t mean to presume’-

‘It’s okay,’ Lena found herself saying, taking the Super’s hand again. ‘It sounds nice.’ She swallowed. She hadn’t expected Supergirl to practically admit she liked kissing girls, and the idea left her warm and flushed all over. ‘A midnight kiss, I mean. With you.’

Supergirl was grinning like an idiot, and Lena couldn’t help but be completely enamoured with her charm. She sobered up when Lena unconsciously began rubbing her thumb along the back of her hand. ‘My name’s Kara, by the way. Kara Zor-El.’

‘Nice to meet you, Kara Zor-El.’

The excitement was palpable as the countdown begun.

_‘FIVE!’_

Lena took a deep breath, feeling more centred than she had in a while.

_‘FOUR!’_

Kara must have sensed her slight change in breathing, for she squeezed Lena’s hand assuringly. She felt Lena shiver; hesitated, then drew her red cape over them both for warmth.

‘How chivalrous,’ Lena teased, leaning closer. She couldn’t believe how easily Kara was charming her; if Lilian could see her now, she’d be berating her for being seduced too easily. But Lena was on her own, and she could move as fast she liked.

_‘THREE!’ _

Kara blushed and bit her lip. Lena was definitely pressing even closer to her now, and how had _that_ happened?

_‘TWO!’_

She could smell the vanilla shampoo Kara used, could feel the ghost of her breath against her cheek-

_‘ONE!’_

A strong hand gently cupped her jaw, bringing her closer, and Lena melted into the softest kiss she’d ever experienced as fireworks sparked and thundered over the riverbank.


End file.
